Black Blood
by Silver Demon of Wutai
Summary: Kadaj gets a horrible case of the Geostigma, and his older brothers don't know how. They watch over him, wondering how they could cure him of it. Will Kadaj survive, or will he die from the 'Stigma? One-Shot. R&R please!


**I went back to edit this a bit, and I like it. They were only minor edits, like fixing spelling mistakes and all, and yeah. I hope you like it! Please do read and review!**

**The song I had used is Fade to Black by Metallica.**

**Disclaimer - I don't own Final Fantasy or Metallica. Just the idea for the story.**

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_"Life it seems will fade away  
__Drifting further everyday  
__Getting lost within myself  
__Nothing matters, no one else..."_

Kadaj lay still in a single small bed, unmoving, with his eyes closed, and his breathing ragged. His two older brothers, Yazoo and Loz, looked worriedly over the youngest.

The boy had a horrible case of the Geostigma, and the other two just couldn't figure out how he had possibly caught it. They were sure that they weren't able to get it, seeing as it was a disease Mother had made, and they were a part of Mother. It scared the brothers, to know that Kadaj could die, if they don't heal him soon... But how?

The Geostigma was quickly eating away the young remnant. Kadaj was able to move, and be up and about, no more than a week and a half ago, and now, he was stuck in a bed, barely able to move. It had weakened him greatly.

When he had first got it, he never payed any mind to it, it first appearing on his upper arm. He was able to hide it, so it wouldn't worry his older brothers. As days went on, the Geostigma had spread. It had started covering more of his arm, his shoulder, his upper back, and chest. He was starting to feel the pain, and feel it eating away his life slowly. Starting to become scared from this, he let his brothers know about it.

And now, here he was, laying in his death bed, with both of his older, overprotective brothers watching over him. The 'Stigma had spread to most parts on his young body, including his childish face.

Suddenly, Kadaj started coughing violently, and Yazoo was immediately by his side, trying to calm him, wiping away the blackened blood that had started dribbling out of the boy's mouth.

_"I have lost the will to live  
__Simply nothing more to give  
__There is nothing more for me  
__Need the end to set me free..."_

Yazoo had no doubt that Kadaj was in alot of pain, caused by the 'Stigma. He looked over at Loz, who had started weeping, unable to hold his tears at bay. Yazoo, after the youngest brother's coughs had stopped, went over to Loz, and put a reassuring hand on his arm.

Loz had been crying alot, ever since the first time he saw Kadaj fall unconscious from the Geostigma. He had really started to worry for him then, but then again, he had always worried about Kadaj. It was sort of like a big brother instinct. He has cried over Kadaj alot during the past few days, and Yazoo had never scolded him for crying, as he normally did.

Yazoo understood Loz's pain, and his worries of losing their baby brother. He knew he had to stay strong, and keep trying to reassure Loz, by saying that everything will be alright, and Kadaj would be okay, and they could continue their lives like normal. But, Yazoo highly doubted things will turn out like that. He knew that Kadaj was fighting for his life, and there was a huge chance that Kadaj would die anyway.

Loz had listened to Yazoo's words, and made himself believe it's true, for he didn't want it to end this way, with Kadaj dying from the disease. As his motto goes: If one goes, we all go together.

So, if Kadaj died, he'd want to die with him, for he didn't think he'd be able to go on without him...

_"Things not what they used to be_  
_Missing one inside of me_  
_Deathly lost, this can't be real_  
_Cannot stand this hell I feel..."_

Loz started weeping even more now. Another day had passed, and Kadaj only seemed to be getting worse.

The boy's body had become a deathly pale color, and he had become extremely skinny, as he was unable to eat anything.

That scared Yazoo to no end. He had tried feeding him some mushed up fruit, but all Kadaj did was throw up only minutes later after having the food. It was like his body was rejecting what he was given, even though he desperately needed it. He couldn't drink anything either, or else he might've choked on it.

Yazoo was really worried after this, fearing losing him soon. He feels that Kadaj only has a few more days left, and knowing this, his eyes started to water up, but he quickly wiped them dry. He couldn't, no... He wouldn't start crying. That would only make Loz cry more, and it would tell him, without even needing words, that Kadaj would die. Yazoo looked at his baby brother's young face, with a saddened look.

The teen looked terrible. His silver hair wasn't so silver anymore, and now casted a grey look to it. His normally pink, pouty lips, had become pale, almost the same color as his now paler looks. The Geostigma had covered all of his cheek, his eye, his forehead, and nose.

It scared Yazoo, to know that the Geostigma was spreading more... He knew, if Kadaj were to be miraculously healed, or to wake up, he was positive he would be blind in the one eye that the 'Stigma covered.

That was... IF Kadaj would survive...

_"Emptiness is filling me  
__To the point of agony  
__Growing darkness, taking dawn  
__I was me, but now he's gone..."_

Loz looked at the dying brother, his eyes red and puffy from crying so much. Though he was the oldest, he was very emotional.

If Kadaj were to die, he'd miss him very much, unless he died with Kadaj, and joined him again in the Lifestream... But if he didn't do that, he'd miss everything about Kadaj...

He'd miss his laughter, whether it was happy, amused laughter, or his insane, cruel laughter as he killed people, he'd miss it all the same. He'd miss the way Kadaj would scold him, if he's done something wrong, and how he'd scold him again, when he'd start crying. He'd miss the times when Kadaj loses his temper, and throws a tantrum, and act very much like the kid he actually is. He'd miss the way how he'd always make fun of Kadaj for his short height, and how Kadaj would hit him, and yell at him, denying that he wasn't short, even though it was plain obvious...

Hell, Loz would miss everything about his baby brother.

He and Yazoo looked towards Kadaj, when they both heard him groan.

Kadaj had been fighting to stay alive, even though he knew it'd be impossible. There was tremendous pain coursing through his small, weakened body. He groaned, as he slowly became conscious, even though he knew he wouldn't be able to stay awake for very long. His eyes slowly opened, his dull green cat-like eyes appearing. The black pupils in his eyes, had become nothing more than mere slits, that could barely been seen.

"Brothers..." Kadaj whispered, his voice coarse from not being used for what seemed like a lifetime for him.

_"No one but me can save myself before it's too late,  
__now I can't think, think why I should even try..."_

"Shh, Brother. Don't talk. It's going to be alright." Yazoo said, trying to reassure the youngest.

Kadaj forced a small smile, but stopped when it took to much of his energy. He watched as Loz came over, and felt him take his hand into his own. It felt warm, compared to Kadaj's cold skin.

Loz sat lightly on the side of the boy's bed, and pressed a light kiss to his cheek that wasn't covered with the 'Stigma.

"Brother... Don't die... Please!" Loz begged the youngest, tears once again coming to his eyes, and he let them fall freely.

"Loz..." Kadaj said quietly, his voice cracking.

"Kadaj, I said don't talk. Save your energy, Brother." Yazoo warned, with a sad look in his eyes.

Loz carefully lifted the boy into a sitting position, the youngest was in obvious pain with the movement, and Loz let Kadaj lean against him, since he was unable to hold himself up. Yazoo climbed onto the bed aswell, and sat on the other side of Kadaj, and put an arm around him, also starting to stroke his grey-ish hair.

He realized that he really didn't want Kadaj to die, or he'd be lost without him. He and Loz were totally dependent on Kadaj, while Kadaj was dependent on them. Ever since Kadaj had fallen ill with the Geostigma, things had been falling apart for the other two.

"Yazoo..." Kadaj said, his voice barely above a whisper, unable to speak any louder. "I don't want to die..." He said, his voice cracking again on the final word.

"I know, Brother." Yazoo said, still stroking the youngest's hair. "We don't want you to die either..." But we all know it's unavoidable... He added in his thoughts.

Kadaj closed his eyes, and forced them open. He was suddenly afraid, that if he closed his eyes, he'd never be able to open them again. But, he had a feeling that it would happen soon enough. Just being awake was draining his energy, and he could feel his life force slipping away...

_"Yesterday seems as though it never existed  
__Death greets me warm now I will just say goodbye..."_

Kadaj eventually found it becoming difficult to keep his eyes open, and that scared him greatly.

No, he did not want to die, but he knew it was too late to find a cure, and he knew that his death was unavoidable now.

Yazoo and Loz both noticed that Kadaj's breathing was starting to come in quick pants and gasps.

Yazoo knew Kadaj's time to go was coming soon, and he was dreading it greatfully. Loz had started to cry hard, and hugged the youngest close to him.

"No, Brother! Don't go!" Loz begged again.

Kadaj barely registered the words, but then slowly shook his head. "Loz... I... Can't... I can't stay..." Kadaj said, it was hard for him to talk, and it upset him alot, as he said those words. His statement was proven, when the blackened blood of the Geostigma started pouring down teh youth's face and body. He coughed violently, as the Geostigma also caused him to vomit violently as well.

The older two didn't care that Kadaj was throwing up on them. All they cared about, was holding, and being with him for his final moments, even though it broke their hearts.

Watching Kadaj losing his life brought tears to Yazoo's eyes. He had sworn that he wouldn't cry, but he couldn't stop the tears this time. They fell silently down his face. Loz held Kadaj close to him, crying aswell. He didn't want his baby brother to die! No, it's couldn't end this way!

A few seconds later, the vomiting stopped, and Kadaj fell limp in Loz's arms, his eyes closed.

Yazoo immediately checked the youngest's pulse.

There was nothing...

_"Goodbye..."_

The two brothers continued on their life, always trying to avoid talking about Kadaj, for it brought too much pain to them.

More than once, Loz had tried to kill himself, sticking to his motto, but Yazoo had always stopped him.

"Loz... Kadaj wouldn't want that..." He'd always say to him. Those times would be the only ones where Kadaj would be mentioned. It was hard for them to move on, without their baby brother around, but they managed.

In the Lifestream, a lone teen watched over the two men, smiling.

"I miss you two... Please, don't ever forget me... I love you both." He whispered, silent tears flowing down his young face.


End file.
